Mariacci (foaled 13 April 1972) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was the highest-rated two-year-old trained in France in 1974, when he was unbeaten in three race including the Prix des Chênes and the Grand Critérium. After extending his winning run to four when winning the Prix Greffulhe on his debut as a three-year-old, he was beaten in his three subsequent races but continued to display top-class form when being placed in the Prix Lupin, Prix du Jockey Club and Prix d'Ispahan. Despite being retired in the summer of his second season, Mariacci defeated many of the best French horses of his era including Allez France, Ivanjica, Green Dancer, Val de l'Orne and Nobiliary. He made little impact as a breeding stallion.

Background

Mariacci was a "neat, good-looking"^[2] bay horse bred in France by his owner Guy de Rothschild. His sire, Djakao, was a stayer who won the Grand Prix de Deauville and was placed in both the Prix du Jockey Club and the Grand Prix de Paris in 1969. The best of Djakao's other progeny included the Arlington Million winner Perrault and the Prix Lupin winner Belgio.^[3] Mariacci's dam Marbrisa was a moderate racehorse but was a granddaughter of Temora, a half-sister of The Derby winner Galcador.^[4] During his racing career, Mariacci was trained by Jean-Michel de Choubersky.

Racing career

Assessment

There was no International Classification of European two-year-olds in 1974: the official handicappers of Britain, Ireland and France compiled separate rankings for horses which competed in those countries. In the official French handicap, Mariacci was the top-rated two-year-old of the year, one pound ahead of Green Dancer and two ahead of the filly Broadway Dancer. The independent Timeform organisation gave him a rating of 133, one pound behind their best two-year-old Grundy. In their annual Racehorses of 1974 Timeform described Mariacci as "superior to any staying colt we know about" and said that he would be "very difficult to beat" if he was to contest the Epsom Derby.^[3] In 1975, Mariacci was given a rating of 128 by Timeform, nine pounds below their Horse of the Year Grundy. In the official French handicap he was rated the fourth-best three-year-old colt of the year behind Val de l'Orne, Patch and Green Dancer.^[2]

Stud record

Mariacci did not race again after finishing second in the Prix d'Ispahan and was retired to stand at the Haras du Meautry at an initial fee of 20,000 francs.^[2] He sired very few recorded foals, but these included Mariacho, who won the Prix Saint-Roman in 1980.

Pedigree

References